Written answers
Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
International Protection
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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850. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of IPAS contracts due to expire each month in 2026; the number of beds attached to each of these contracts, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47945/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in 321 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country, over 9,000 of whom are children.
As we respond to changing trends, and work toward a more stable and sustainable accommodation system in this sector, accommodation is being developed and delivered through a range of channels, with a focus on developing more State-owned accommodation.
The table below sets out the number of Accommodation Centre contracts that are due to expire during each month in 2026, and the number of beds associated with these contracts.
The Department conducts all contractual negotiations on the basis of there being no guarantee of the continuity of a contract beyond its end date.
With respect to potential for contract renewals, the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants is demand-led, and each premises is considered on a case-by-case basis to decide if the contract will be renewed as it approaches its end date.
| 2026 | Contracts with expiry date | Total capacity of contracts |
|---|---|---|
| January | 5 | 453 |
| February | 18 | 1335 |
| March | 28 | 4718 |
| April | 21 | 1990 |
| May | 8 | 1330 |
| June | 7 | 722 |
| July | 14 | 975 |
| August | 9 | 854 |
| September | 5 | 766 |
| October | 7 | 639 |
| November | 1 | 260 |
| December | 4 | 561 |
Ireland has adopted and is now working to implement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in mid-2026. Reforming and speeding up processing of applications should also serve over time to reduce the scale of the demand for international protection accommodation.
The Department is also working to increase the amount of State-owned international protection accommodation and creating a more stable and sustainable accommodation system.
As developing these more sustainable state-owned accommodation system options under this strategy will take time, the commissioning of emergency commercial accommodation will continue to be a feature in the short to medium term.
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